This hearty, savoury, and incredibly satisfying English Muffin Breakfast Pizza is the ultimate way to turn a weekend breakfast into a full-blown feast.
This recipe for an English Muffin Breakfast Pizza was inspired by my husband’s wonderful stories about the big, comforting breakfasts he grew up with in the American South. He would talk with such fondness about a rich, peppery sausage gravy called Sawmill Gravy, a true staple of Southern cuisine that you can read more about at Southern Living. Living here in France, it’s not something you find on any menu, so one chilly Sunday morning, I decided to recreate that comfort for him. I combined his beloved gravy with all our favourite breakfast toppings on a crispy English muffin base, and this fun, pizza-style creation was born.
🟧 Why This Is So Good
- The Ultimate Comfort Breakfast: With creamy sausage gravy, a perfectly cooked egg, and melted cheese, this is the definition of a hearty, soul-warming meal.
- Fun and Customizable: Everyone can build their own! It has the fun appeal of a pizza, making it a huge hit with kids and adults alike.
- Incredibly Hearty and Satisfying: This is a substantial breakfast that will keep you full and happy all morning long, perfect for a lazy weekend.
- Ready in 30 Minutes: Despite looking and tasting like a big production, this impressive brunch comes together remarkably fast.
The first time I served these, my husband was so touched. He said the smell of the gravy alone transported him right back to his grandmother’s kitchen. The kids were just thrilled to be having “pizza” for breakfast! It was an instant success, a perfect blending of his heritage and our little family life here. Now, this English Muffin Breakfast Pizza is our go-to for those slow, rainy Sundays when all you want is a cozy blanket and a truly comforting meal. Learning how to cook the perfect sunny-side-up egg, like the method from Serious Eats, was the final touch that made them perfect. For more advanced recipes, visit Vegetarian Cuisine.
🟧 Getting Your Ingredients Right
- English Muffins: The foundation of our pizza! The key is to get a sturdy brand with lots of nooks and crannies to catch the gravy. Fork-splitting them instead of using a knife preserves that amazing texture.
- Breakfast Sausage: Use a good-quality, bulk pork sausage with a decent amount of fat. The fat is rendered out to become the flavourful base of your sawmill gravy, so it’s a crucial ingredient. You can find some great options and read more about them on blogs like The Spruce Eats.
- The Cheese: While pre-shredded cheese works in a pinch, thinly slicing a block of mild or sharp cheddar will give you a much better, more uniform melt under the broiler.
- Whole Milk: For the richest, creamiest sawmill gravy, you really need to use whole milk. It provides the necessary fat and body for a truly authentic and luscious sauce for your English Muffin Breakfast Pizza.
🟧 Making It Step by Step
This recipe flows beautifully from one step to the next, with most of the magic happening in a single skillet. Get ready to build the most epic breakfast pizza you’ve ever had.
Cook the Sausage & Make the Gravy
First, let’s build our flavor base. In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook your breakfast sausage until it’s nicely browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage from the pan, setting it aside on a plate. Leave about a quarter cup of the rendered sausage drippings in the skillet (if you don’t have enough, add a little butter to make up the difference). Reduce the heat to medium, sprinkle the flour over the drippings, and whisk constantly for about a minute to cook out the raw flour taste. This is your roux. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Let the gravy simmer, stirring often, until it has thickened beautifully, about 5-7 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Prepare the Eggs and Muffin Bases
While the gravy is simmering, prepare your other components. Split your English muffins in half and toast them until they are lightly golden and crisp. This prevents them from getting soggy later. In a separate non-stick skillet, cook your eggs to your liking—fried with a runny yolk, scrambled, or however your family prefers.
Assemble and Broil the Pizzas
Now for the fun part! Set your oven to a high broil. Place your toasted English muffin halves on a baking sheet. Spoon a generous layer of the warm sawmill gravy over each half. Top with a sprinkle of the cooked sausage, place one cooked egg on each, and finish with a slice of cheddar cheese. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for just 1-2 minutes, watching it like a hawk, until the cheese is perfectly melted and bubbly. This final step transforms it into a true English Muffin Breakfast Pizza.
🟧 Making Sure It Turns Out
- Toast the Muffins First: Toasting the English muffins before adding the wet gravy is the most important step to prevent a soggy base.
- Don’t Burn the Roux: When you add the flour to the sausage drippings, keep the heat on medium and whisk constantly. A burnt roux will make the whole gravy taste bitter.
- Watch the Broiler!: A broiler can go from perfectly melted to completely burnt in a matter of seconds. Do not walk away from the oven during this final step.
- Whisk Your Gravy: To get a perfectly smooth, lump-free gravy, it’s essential to pour the milk in slowly while whisking constantly.
I learned the broiler lesson in the most dramatic way possible. The first time I made these, I turned my back for what felt like ten seconds to grab a glass of water. I came back to a smoke-filled kitchen and eight little charcoal briquettes. The smoke alarm was screaming, and breakfast was ruined! Now, I never, ever take my eyes off the broiler. It’s a powerful tool that makes for a perfect, cheesy melt on your English Muffin Breakfast Pizza, but it demands respect.
🟧 Perfect Serving Ideas
This English Muffin Breakfast Pizza is a very hearty, complete meal on its own. To balance out the richness, I love to serve it with something fresh and simple, like a side of sliced heirloom tomatoes or a simple fruit salad. For a true Southern-style feast, you could add a side of grits. A strong black coffee or a big glass of freshly squeezed orange juice is the perfect beverage to accompany this feast.
🟧 Making It Different
This recipe is a fantastic template for your own creations. Swap the sausage for crispy, crumbled bacon or diced ham. Add some sautéed vegetables like bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms right on top of the gravy. For a spicy kick, use a pepper jack cheese and add a dash of hot sauce to the gravy. You could even use a split biscuit or a slice of thick, toasted sourdough as the base instead of an English muffin.
🟧 Storage and Leftovers
While best enjoyed fresh, you can store leftovers. It’s best to store the components—gravy, cooked sausage, and muffins—separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, you can assemble and broil a fresh pizza. If you have fully assembled leftovers, they can be refrigerated and are best reheated in an oven or air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for about 5-10 minutes, until warmed through and the muffin is re-crisped.
🟧 Tips That Actually Help
- Use a Cast-Iron Skillet: A cast-iron skillet is perfect for browning sausage and creates a wonderful fond (browned bits) on the bottom, which adds incredible flavour to your gravy.
- Fork-Split the Muffins: Instead of a knife, use a fork to pry your English muffins apart. This creates tons of wonderful nooks and crannies that are perfect for holding the gravy.
- Prep Your Toppings: Have your sausage cooked, cheese sliced, and eggs ready to go before you start assembling. This makes the final broiling step quick and easy.
For years, I sliced English muffins with a knife, thinking it was quicker. When my husband showed me the fork-splitting trick, it was a revelation! The texture is so much better—craggy, uneven, and perfect for soaking up sauces. It’s a small detail that elevates the entire dish and makes a huge difference.
🟧 Closing Paragraph
This English Muffin Breakfast Pizza has become more than just a recipe in our house; it’s a bridge between cultures and a nod to family history. It’s the meal we make on slow weekends when we want to feel connected and comforted. It’s a testament to the fact that food is about so much more than just ingredients; it’s about the stories and the love we share. I hope this hearty, happy meal brings as much joy to your table as it has to ours.
🟧 Frequently Asked Questions
→ Can I make the sawmill gravy ahead of time? Yes, you can make the gravy up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will thicken when chilled, so you may need to reheat it gently on the stove with a splash of milk to loosen it.
→ What’s a good vegetarian alternative? You can use a plant-based sausage and make the gravy with butter or mushroom drippings instead of sausage fat. Top with sautéed mushrooms and peppers for a delicious vegetarian version.
→ Can I make this English Muffin Breakfast Pizza with a different sauce? Absolutely. If you’re not a fan of gravy, a classic tomato-based pizza sauce or even a pesto would be a fun and delicious alternative.
→ My gravy is lumpy, what did I do wrong? Lumps usually happen if the milk is added too quickly or if it isn’t whisked constantly. The key is to pour the milk in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously.
→ What’s the best way to cook the eggs for this? A runny yolk from a sunny-side-up or poached egg is divine as it creates its own sauce when broken. However, scrambled eggs work wonderfully too, especially for kids!
Print
English Muffin Breakfast Pizza
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 pizzas (4 servings) 1x
Description
A hearty and delicious recipe for an English Muffin Breakfast Pizza, topped with sausage, egg, cheese, and a creamy sawmill gravy.
Ingredients
→ For the Base & Toppings:
- 4 English muffins, split
- 1 lb breakfast sausage
- 8 large eggs, cooked to your preference
- 8 oz mild cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
→ For the Sawmill Gravy:
- 1/4 cup sausage drippings (add butter if needed to reach 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Cook Sausage: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it apart, until browned. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving about 1/4 cup of drippings in the pan.
- Make Gravy: Reduce heat to medium. Whisk the flour into the drippings and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Prep Base: While the gravy simmers, toast the English muffin halves until golden. Cook the eggs to your preference (e.g., fried or scrambled).
- Assemble: Preheat your oven’s broiler. Place the toasted muffin halves on a baking sheet. Top each with a spoonful of gravy, a sprinkle of cooked sausage, one cooked egg, and a slice of cheese.
- Broil: Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For the best texture, split your English muffins with a fork instead of a knife.
- Do not walk away from the oven when broiling; the pizzas can burn in seconds.
- For a richer gravy, use whole milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
- Method: Pan-Frying & Broiling
- Cuisine: American (Southern)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pizzas
- Calories: 1065
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 1800mg
- Fat: 76 g
- Saturated Fat: 34g
- Unsaturated Fat: 42g
- Trans Fat: < 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 44 g
- Cholesterol: 490mg
Keywords: English Muffin Breakfast Pizza
